Here is a worthy cause. The Vermont National Guard Foundation is trying to raise the sum of $200,000 to bring the Vermont National Guardsmen and Guardswomen who are in training in Indiana home to Vermont to spend Christmas with their families before being deployed to Afghanistan for their respective duty tours. The Foundation has calculated that with $200,000 they will be able to bus all the 700 Vermont Guards home to spend the holiday with their families. For those little boys and girls, husbands and wives, parents and children – I think this is a great cause.

If you have it in your heart and your wallet to spare a little cash to make some people’s Christmas a little happier, here is the link to the Vermont National Guard Foundation where you can make a donation. If you live in Vermont, various local groups and individuals are taking up this cause. For example Price Chopper stores in Vermont are taking register donations and will match donations up to $10,000.

Two young sisters from Burlington, ages 11 and 9 are canvassing their neighborhood collecting cans and bottles to redeem to donate to the cause. Their story can be found here.

As of November 12th, the organization has raised $150,000 toward their $200,000 goal. So close, relatively speaking and I am sure that there are a lot of people keeping their fingers crossed that the goal will be met and some will have something special to celebrate this holiday season.